Shipping costs - the big provider comparison

GUIDE: PARCEL SHIPPING FOR CORPORATE CUSTOMERS

Sending a parcel or package within Germany or to another country can entail completely different postage costs. The amount of postage depends not only on the size or weight of the parcel. There are also sometimes big differences between the various shipping companies for a parcel of the same size. A comparison is definitely worthwhile here.

This is how much bulk shipping costs

Did you know that Amazon charges less than €3 for a DHL parcel up to 31 kg? You pay €16.49. Anyone who orders a product from online mail-order companies today has certainly asked themselves how the big mail-order companies manage to send parcels all over the world so cheaply. Sometimes even completely free of charge for the customer.
 

Can you perhaps also push prices down that far for your company?
 

As a company, you do not need to send complete truckloads to benefit from special conditions for parcel shipping. Even smaller quantities of 30 to 50 parcels per month are sufficient to qualify for the discount. In order to shed some light on this, we have compiled a list of how business customers can send their parcels as cheaply as possible.
 

Labelprint24 supplies packaging materials with savings potential

But the price of shipping is only one side of the coin, because before shipping comes packaging. The first cost guzzlers are already lurking in the selection of the packaging material, which can be avoided if the corrugated cardboard packaging is purchased from a professional packaging manufacturer who knows what is important to business customers.
 

Discover our labels and corrugated cardboard packaging now!

We supply you with an extensive range of customised printed or unprinted corrugated cardboard packaging, because minimising the amount of material required for the shipping box is just as important as the price. Our motto is: "As much as necessary, as little as possible". Of course, without neglecting the protective function of the packaging. Our custom-made corrugated cardboard packaging is one of the most up-to-date packaging products.
 

Order corrugated board packaging made to measure online

With most packaging manufacturers it is possible to start an enquiry for corrugated board packaging by e-mail. With far fewer manufacturers, the individual dimensions of the packaging can already be calculated online and a production order started immediately. At labelprint24, even completely free dimensions for printed and unprinted corrugated board packaging are possible. We enable our customers to enter the individual packaging dimensions directly in the browser.
 

Parcel service provider for commercial customers

In the following section, we would like to introduce you to the most important parcel shippers, their prices, the respective service offer and the individual special features. Especially for corporate customers, it is important to know the small but subtle differences in order to use this knowledge to find the optimal shipping partner.

 

DHL - the best-known shipping service provider in Germany

Anyone who wants to send a parcel thinks first and foremost of the postal subsidiary DHL. With a large transport network and an average delivery time of one to two days, DHL offers the best conditions for fast delivery. In addition, the convenience for the sender is particularly great. Almost everywhere, even in areas with a lower population density, there are branches or Packstations available.
 

Delivery: For an extra charge of 3 euros, DHL will collect the parcels from you. The recipient is delivered directly at home. If he is not there, he can request a second delivery or pick up the parcel at the nearest branch. Delivery to a Packstation is also possible.
 

Prices: Packages can be sent within Germany from a price of 3.79 euros. Parcels with insured shipping are offered from a price of 4.99 euros. Those who opt for online franking can also send their parcels at a slightly lower price. All parcels in sizes S, M, L and XL are insured up to a goods value of 500 euros.
 

Service: DHL offers a range of services that can be easily booked. These include cash on delivery collection for 6.90 euros, insurance against loss and damage up to 25,000 euros, bulky goods shipping or delivery on the desired day or at the desired time.
 

Special features: The DHL pack sets are particularly popular with many shippers. The sets consist of a flat-folded, yellow shipping box made of single-layer corrugated cardboard including adhesive labels made of foil for secure sealing. The Packsets are available in five sizes and cost between 1.49 euros and 2.49 euros.
 

Business customers: Companies can benefit from the advantages of being a DHL business customer from as few as 200 shipments per year. Get a quote from DHL or contact the local DHL branch in your region.

 

Hermes - the fast parcel courier

The logistics service provider Hermes is a subsidiary of the Otto Group. Hermes also works with its own transport network and additionally with various subcontractors. Up to 30 countries are supplied via its own transport network.
 

Delivery: Hermes parcels can be dropped off at approximately 14,000 parcel shops in Germany alone. Hermes also collects the parcels directly from the sender's home and delivers them to the recipient's home. If the recipient is not at home when the parcel is delivered, it is dropped off at a Hermes ParcelShop and can be collected there.
 

Prices: Hermes parcels are all insured up to a value of 500 euros. The cheapest small parcel costs 3.70 euros, an S parcel 4.40 euros. International shipping is also relatively cheap with Hermes. Here, for example, 13.40 euros are charged for an S parcel to Italy.
 

Service: Hermes offers a range of services. These include bulky goods shipping, tracking and tracing and a Hermes delivery service. A novelty at Hermes is the ParcelLock system. This is a protected parcel box for the home in which parcels can be made available for collection or receipt. A TAN is required to open it. Parcel Lock is an open system and can also be equipped with parcels from other shipping service providers, but also from registered delivery services.
 

Special features: Hermes also sells cardboard boxes, but only in three sizes. A Hermes Päckchen costs 1.40 euros, an S parcel 1.70 euros and an M parcel 2.50 euros. Those who like to travel online can also create the parcel slip directly on their mobile phone and don't even have to print it out.
 

Business customers: The special conditions for business customers apply at Hermes from 300 parcels per year. All ProfiPaketService customers receive preferential treatment when it comes to the speed of parcel delivery. 95% of parcels are delivered the very next day. Delivery is made with up to 4 attempts. Liability up to 500 euros is included with every parcel. Hermes provides its own portal on the Internet with a detailed shipment information system. Returns processing is also possible. From 20,000 shipments per year, there are further tailor-made customer solutions. Hermes prices are input tax deductible. A flat rate is formed when one specifies his various parcel sizes and their number.

 

DPD - the underestimated competition

Vehicles and delivery staff with the red DPD parcel logo can be seen more and more frequently on the streets.DPD Deutschland GmbH is a German parcel and express service provider based in Aschaffenburg and part of the international DPD Group. Every year DPD Germany transports 375 million parcels, a third of which go to private recipients. This makes the company the second largest service provider for deliveries in Germany.
 

Delivery: DPD has its own transport network and offers delivery to a total of 40 countries. All other countries are delivered via partner parcel services. As with DHL, the delivery time is usually only one to two days.
 

Prices: Shipping with DPD is already possible from a price of 4.00 euros, an XL parcel costs 17.50 euros when dropped off at a parcel shop. Liability is assumed up to an amount of 520 euros. The claim must be made directly to the deliverer.
 

Service: DPD works with parcel announcements and thus enables the recipient to be at home when the parcel arrives. But Shop2Shop and collection from one of the 6,500 partner shops is also possible. DPD uses three delivery attempts before the parcels are given to the shop.
 

Special features: You can also have the parcel label sent to your smartphone on the move. The parcel shop will do the rest for you. Your advantage: You no longer need to print out and stick on the parcel label.
 

Business customers: Hermes also offers a request form for customers with a larger shipping volume. With myDPD DPD guarantees business customers full control over their returns management, which can be easily integrated into the customer's IT.
 

GLS - Europe-wide shipping at favourable prices

GLS also joins the ranks of shipping companies. General Logistics Systems B.V. (GLS) is a provider from the Netherlands and has its particular strength in international shipping. For example, GLS prepares an electronic export declaration.
 

Delivery: GLS works with its own transport network as well as various subcontractors and delivers to 40 countries in Europe.
 

Prices: Packages cost from 4.00 euros upwards. An XL parcel costs 18.90. It is also possible to create parcel slips online.
 

Service: GLS only delivers from Monday to Friday. Those who are not available have the chance with a second delivery attempt. The delivery can then be collected from one of the parcel shops. There are about 5,000 of these throughout Germany. If the goods are ready to be collected from the sender by the agreed time, a fast parcel delivery will be made by GLS Same Day on the same evening - and within a fixed time window. The SameDay delivery offer applies to many cities and metropolitan areas.
 

Special features: GLS offers by far the highest liability. Up to 750 euros can be reimbursed if the claim is made directly to the deliverer. Hazardous goods and pharmaceutical products can also be sent with GLS with guaranteed delivery times.
 

Business customers: GLS offers reliable parcel shipping for companies of all sizes and industries - both nationally and internationally. With the parcel shipping tool Your GLS you manage all relevant information for the shipment of goods and can track your parcels at any time. Shippers can combine the parcel and express products with optional additional services. The highly industrialised services are supported by modern IT solutions.

 

UPS - worldwide shipping with short transit times

The company was founded on 28 August 1907 in Seattle as the American Messenger Company and renamed United Parcel Service in 1919. Today, the company is one of the largest logistics companies in the world with a focus on business in the USA.
 

Prices: UPS is relatively expensive in a shipping cost comparison. The reason for this is that the packages cost from 7.75 euros upwards. The provider has average delivery times of only one day within Germany. The prices of the international delivery service depend specifically on size and weight, the maximum weight is 70 kg.For international standard shipments within the EU you need the UPS Expedited service. Here you must expect prices of 114.25 euros and upwards. The maximum weight of 100 kg must not be exceeded.
 

Delivery: Shipping is possible worldwide to 200 countries. The parcel is collected by the driver himself; there are very few shops available. Returns are best left with the driver.
 

Special features: Delivery is only made from Monday to Friday. UPS only makes neighbourhood deliveries if the customer has given them power of attorney.
 

Business customers: UPS essentially specialises in medium-sized and large companies and acts as a global logistics provider and freight forwarder.
 

Our tip: Weight and size matter

With DHL in particular, you can sometimes save considerable amounts if you pay attention to the weight and size of the boxes. With Hermes, on the other hand, weight plays a subordinate role. It is not a problem if the S-package weighs more. It only depends on the size.
 

Basically, it can be a good idea to look for online prices. Most shipping companies offer the option of already printing the shipping label online and sometimes also paying here. This sometimes reduces the cost of a parcel by a few cents. Especially when many parcels are sent frequently, the effort is well worth it. It also shortens waiting times at the collection point. However, it is still possible to fill out parcel labels by hand and stick them on the parcels or put them in delivery note bags. At DHL and Hermes, there are prefabricated labels for the parcels.
 

From a parcel volume of approx. 300 items per month, it can be worthwhile to ask parcel services directly for a quote. In your enquiry, always state the shipping volume that you are guaranteed to achieve per month. Do not quote quantities that are too high just to achieve price advantages. If you do not reach the agreed minimum quantities, you could otherwise face penalties.
 

From a parcel volume of approx. 300 items per month, it can be worthwhile to ask parcel services directly for a quote. In your enquiry, always state the shipping volume that you are guaranteed to achieve per month. Do not quote quantities that are too high just to achieve price advantages. If you do not reach the agreed minimum quantities, you could otherwise face penalties.
 

PS: If you have a shop, open a GLS shop or similar. Then you can also ship very cheaply. 

We recommend that corporate clients not only look at the price. Also consider the following criteria when making your decision:

• Delivery times in Germany and abroad
• If parcels to non-EU countries: Costs for customs clearance.
• Are there any additional charges? E.g. for returns, incorrect labelling, overweight, oversize.
• Liability and options for additional insurance.
• Convenience for parcel recipients, e.g. Saturday delivery & parcel control.
• Conditions for express delivery (rarely needed, but can be extremely expensive if necessary).
• Distance between shipping location and parcel centre: the closer, the later the cut-off time.

Every parcel service wants you to send your entire shipping quantity with this one provider. Therefore, the more parcels you send, the cheaper the postage. Despite price disadvantages, we recommend splitting the shipping volume between at least two parcel services. This allows your customers to choose their own preferred shipping method. And you as the sender can quickly shift shipment volumes from one parcel service to another in the event of a problem. Such problem cases are, for example, delivery strikes, regional overloads, staff shortages or technical faults at a parcel service.
 

Amazon - "Goodbye" parcel service, we now deliver ourselves

In the USA, Amazon now delivers half of all packages itself. Only recently, the e-commerce giant ordered 100,000 electric vans from the e-car manufacturer Rivan. The company is thus well on its way to completely turning the logistics and parcel industry upside down. In Germany, too, Amazon's ambitions are worrying the established parcel services. In recent years, Amazon has wrested lower special prices from the Post and its competitors for its many millions of shipments. But now the services' staff and transport costs are rising. And this despite the fact that the industry is booming: the Post expects the parcel market to grow by five to seven percent year after year. The problem: from now on, it is not DHL but Amazon Logistics and its partners that could profit the most. DHL and Hermes therefore charge major customers such as Amazon significantly less than the four to ten euros that a private customer has to pay per shipment.